About us

Advertising policy | Campaigns | Mumsnet in the media

Mumsnet was set up in January 2000 by Justine Roberts, a sports journalist, and Carrie Longton, a TV producer. We met in antenatal classes and soon discovered that we knew nothing the best source of information on everything from sleep problems to choosing first shoes was the other mums from our antenatal group.

But our gang of mothers didn't have the answers to every question (nice ham shops, mooncups, zombie plans) and not everyone has access to other mothers, so we had a simple idea: to build a much larger circle of parents sharing their know-how on the net.

Mumsnet Towers has recently moved out of Justine's back bedroom into modest, yet clean, offices in London's Kentish Town.  We are mostly staffed by mums working flexibly part time. Our philosophy is simple: To make parents' lives easier by pooling knowledge and experience.

"Mumsnet is an internet phenomenon" Sunday Telegraph

The site has grown rapidly with more than one million visitors each month, mainly from the UK, clocking up 17 million monthly page impressions or hits. Mumsnet Talk, our discussion boards, attract around 20,000 posts every day.

"Online parenting sites are enjoying a boom...But Mumsnet is the daddy" The Times

In March 2002, we celebrated the launch of the first Mumsnet book Mums on Babies - a guide to the first year of parenthood written by the real experts - other parents; followed in January 2004 by Mums on Pregnancy.

In autumn 2004, the website and books were joined by Mumsnet - the TV show, as Justine and Carrie fronted a 15-part series for Discovery Health called Mum's the Word. Once again the parenting advice they were dispensing came from the most reliable source possible - other Mumsnetters. We've also produced two magazine guides to the best stuff for parents.

This year, we've launched a series of parenting and lifestyle books, published by Bloomsbury. The second of these of these, Pregnancy: The Mumsnet Guide is now available following the publication of Toddlers: The Mumsnet Guide, earlier in the year. Both are packed with the advice of parents who've been there, endured and survived to laugh about it. Books on Babies and Food to follow imminently.

"An internet sensation" Independent on Sunday

Our advertising policy

Mumsnet is akin to a social enterprise. Though the site is a business and we hope to be a profitable one, our overarching aim is not the pursuit of profits. We manage Mumsnet with the aim of serving our community as much as serving our shareholders and we endeavour to conduct business in an ethical manner.

With this in mind, Mumsnet supports the WHO/UNICEF International Code on the Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and we do not accept advertising from a number of companies including Nestle and McDonald's, and for a number of products, such as formula milk and cosmetic surgery, that we believe do not sit well with our philosophy  - namely to make parents' lives easier. 

Mumsnet campaigns

Mumsnet is a community and is not a lobby group. We are independently funded and have no political axe to grind. That said our members are very active when it comes to something they feel strongly about.

• In April 2008, we began a campaign for improved miscarriage care and, based on members' views, drew up a Miscarriage Standard Code of Practice, with 11 recommendations for improving standards of NHS care for women who've suffered a miscarriage. 
• In July 2007 they caused the Madeleine McCann ad to be pulled from British cinemas
• Following our much-publicised legal battle with Gina Ford, we lobbied hard for a change to the internet libel law
• Our membership has also been consulted by government on policy issues: Government seeks Mumsnet's views on how to help families in the developing world 
• Justine has been in to talk to Gordon Brown, who cited Mumsnet as a "great internet organisation", about how the government can best help spread parenting advice.
• Alan Johnson, Secretary of State for Health, took part in a Mumsnet webchat and expressed his wish for Mumsnet to be "a crucial part" of a forthcoming review of infant formula advertising.
• David Cameron has said he would use websites like Mumsnet to spread local information for parents 
• Harriet Harman has talked publicly about government following the Mumsnet model
• In May 2007, following the tragic death of one of our member's children, hundreds of Mumsnetters walked A Mile for Maude

Mumsnet in the media

• "Mumsnet is a virtual shoulder to lean on." The Observer 
• "Things like the website Mumsnet which bring mothers together to swap advice are wonderful." Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks
• "Mumsnet is the country’s most popular meeting point for parents." The Times

More about Mumsnet in the media

Advertising policy | Campaigns | Mumsnet in the media